Racing 19
Toulon 16
Murray Kinsella reports from Stade Yves du Manoir
A LATE PENALTY by scrum-half Maxime Machenaud sent Racing 92 into the semi-finals of the Champions Cup at the expense of three-time champions Toulon.
The Parisian club came through a tense battle at Stade Yves du Manoir, with Machenaud taking over the kicking duties as star out-half Dan Carter carried a knee injury through the second half.
Referee Wayne Barnes featured prominently in the second 40 minutes as his whistle frequently pierced a superb atmosphere at Racing’s home stadium. The only two tries of the game were scored in the opening 10 minutes, Juan Imhoff running in an intercept try for Racing and Charles Ollivon finishing Toulon’s five pointer.
Though it was not the most convincing attacking performance, Racing and their fans were triumphant as they ended Toulon’s European reign. Mourad Boudjellal had declared his belief that Racing would emerge with victory in the build-up to this clash, and his words were just about proven true.
Jacky Lorenzetti’s club, meanwhile, move on to a semi-final against Leicester Tigers at the City Ground in two weekends’ time, determined to make their own European history. With Saracens and Wasps contesting the other semi-final, there will be at least one English club in the final.
Racing enjoyed a dream start, winning a turnover penalty from the first kick-off and allowing Carter to fire over his opening three points. With Ronan O’Gara’s defence operating aggressively, the Parisians forced Toulon into uncharacteristic errors.
The visitors were attempting to play to width, but paid the price when Maxime Mermoz’s pass on the left edge was picked off by flying Racing wing Imhoff, who sprinted in for a 45-metre try, converted wonderfully by Carter.
Toulon looked rocked to find themselves 10-0 down with just five minutes played, Delon Armitage and then James O’Connor knocking the ball on as they attempted to bring themselves into the contest.
It was a moment of magic from Fijian wing Josua Tuisova that woke the triple European champions in the 10th minute, as he burst through François van der Merwe’s tackle attempt entering the Racing 22 and then offloaded to openside Charles Ollivon to seal the deal.
Scrum-half Jonathan Pelissie converted, before the game settled. Matt Giteau had some shaky moments with the boot, kicking a restart out on the full and being blocked down in his own 22, but Racing were unable to build scoring chances with the pressure.
Armitage missed with a long-range penalty effort for Toulon approaching the half-hour mark, then Pelissie was wide off the tee after Chris Masoe failed to roll away post-tackle for the second time in three minutes.
With Carter down getting treatment for the injury that ended his kicking duties for the afternoon, Machenaud was off target with a 40-metre shot at goal for the hosts, sparking a big breakout from Toulon as the half-time whistle approached.
Mermoz burst a tackle on the left, but ignored the chance to pass and carried into contact. Romain Taofifenua rumbled forward with a big carry next, before Giteau slipped a clever grubber behind Racing and drew a fumble from replacement Marc Andreu.
Duane Vermuelen scooped up the ball and looked like he would dive over to score, but Racing desperately held him out. They did, however, come offside on the next phase and Pelissie was able to level the game at 10-10 heading into the interval.
Ma’a Nonu intelligently switched play early in the second half to give Giteau the chance to send Armitage and O’Connor running into space, the Australian wing chipping ahead and regathering. Racing again breached the offside line in their scramble, Pelissie tapping over the straightforward penalty.
Machenaud missed with his second penalty attempt soon after, Carter still feeling the effects of the first half, but made amends in the 48th minute after a superb kick and chase by Brice Dulin forced the fielding Giteau into holding on on the deck.
The France international sent Racing 16-13 ahead when Toulon dragged down a maul, but Pelissie had a chance to respond instantly when the Parisians failed to release the tackled player. The Toulon scrum-half connected poorly, however, and the ball sailed wide and right.
O’Connor continued to sparkle for Toulon, throwing a pair of sublime offloads, and his counter-attack helped build the platform for a lengthy passage of pressure in the Racing 22, one that came up fruitless after a major defensive grandstand.
Les ciels et blancs cleared their lines only to then give up a basic penalty for crossing in their own half and Pelissie levelled the game at 16-16 heading into the final quarter.
With a throbbing atmosphere demanding more and O’Gara roaring encouragement from the stand, Racing went on a multi-phase assault in Toulon territory that lasted more than three minutes, but Vermeulen lifted the pressure with a big turnover penalty.
Armitage launched another long-range shot at goal with Toulon’s next scrum penalty win, but was wide again, and then Machenaud missed a gilt-edged chance in front of the posts for Racing after Vermuelen failed to support his body weight while jackaling.
With the clock ticking into the final three minutes, sub prop Levan Chilachava failed to roll away from a tackle on the Toulon 22-metre line, almost dead in the centre of the field.
Machenaud simply couldn’t miss this time and sent Racing into the final four.
Racing scorers:
Tries: Juan Imhoff
Conversions: Dan Carter [1 from 1]
Penalties: Dan Carter [1 from 1], Maxime Machenaud [3 from 6]
Toulon scorers:
Tries: Charles Ollivon
Conversions: Jonathan Pelissie [1 from 1]
Penalties: Delon Armitage [0 from 2], Jonathan Pelissie [3 from 5]
RACING 92: Brice Dulin; Joe Rokocoko, Johannes Goosen, Alexandre Dumoulin (Marc Andreu ’11), Juan Imhoff; Dan Carter, Maxime Machenaud; Eddy Ben Arous (Khatchik Vartanov ’78), Dimitri Swarzewski (captain) (Camille Chat ’24), Luc Ducalcon (Martin Castrogiovanni ’70); Luke Charteris, François van der Merwe (Manuel Carizza ’58); Wenceslas Lauret (Yannick Nyanga ’70), Bernard le Roux, Chris Masoe.
Replacements not used: Mike Phillips, Remi Tales.
TOULON: Delon Armitage; Josua Tuisova, Maxime Mermoz (Mathieu Bastareaud ’75), Ma’a Nonu, James O’Connor; Matt Giteau (Tom Taylor ’62), Jonathan Pelissie; Florian Fresia (Xavier Chiocci ’45), Guilhem Guirado (captain) (Jean Charles Orioli ’66), Manasa Saulo Romumu (Levan Chilachava ‘HT); Mamuka Gorgodze, Romain Toafifenua; Juan Smith (Thibault Lassalle ’66), Charles Ollivon (Steffon Armitage ‘HT), Duane Vermeulen.
Replacements not used: Eric Escande.
Referee: Wayne Barnes [RFU].
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
